Rich Scarcella: Antietam's Hector Tiburcio named to Class 2A All-State Team in boys basketball

May 4—Hector Tiburcio gave everything he had to Antietam basketball and finished his career as one of the very best players in the program's history.

Yet he believes he owes the Mounts, the school and the community "a lot" for how the last four years shaped him.

"I would say Antietam saved me," Tiburcio said. "I moved here when I was a freshman. When I lived in the Reading School District, I didn't have my head on the right way.

"The Antietam community, my coaches and teammates and all the teachers helped me on a personal level inside and outside school."

Tiburcio capped his career Wednesday when he was named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Class 2A third team for the second straight season.

He averaged 16.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game this season. He led Antietam to its first division title since 2015 and to the District 3 Class 2A final for the third time in four seasons.

He finished with 1,426 points, second in school history behind 1972 grad Fred Wittich, who had 1,495.

"It means a lot to me," Tiburcio said. "I didn't know if I was going to get this because a lot of those things are stat-based and my numbers weren't the same as last year. It's really exciting to hear I made it again.

"Not many people in the county get picked on the All-State team, so to be named again is an honor."

The 6-2 Tirbucio was a four-year starter who averaged 11.8 points per game as a freshman, 16.8 as a sophomore and 18.3 as a junior. Antietam went 61-33 in his four seasons.

"I'd find it hard to believe there are three players better than him in the history of Mount Penn/Antietam basketball," Mounts coach Mike Green said. "There might have been better rebounders and maybe better shooters, but from top to bottom you'd be hard-pressed to find three guys with better overall skills than him."

According to Green, Tiburcio had a different body type and a different personality when he was a freshman.

"He was a short, pudgy kid with a big attitude," Green recalled. "He was tough. You could tell there was an edge to him. He always had something to prove to somebody."

At one of the first practices that season, Tiburcio and sophomore Aidan Freese had a heated exchange.

"I know Aidan could tend to be a bit of an antagonist and Hector wasn't having any of it," Green said. "They went nose to nose. Aidan was probably a good six inches taller than him, but Hector wasn't backing down. I had to calm that situation quickly.

"Hector wasn't my most talented player (that year), but he was tough and physical and aggressive. I figured he was going to help us."

Over the next three seasons, Tiburcio became a strong team leader. He was willing to share center stage this year with sophomore Josh McKoy.

"He's teaching the younger guys in a constructive way," Green said. "He's really helping a lot, especially with Josh McKoy. I think Hector really enjoyed having a younger-brother type on the team. He could guide him. Josh really excelled under his wing."

Tiburcio said he's receiving interest from NCAA Division II Nova Southeastern in Davie, Fla. The Sharks won their first 31 games this season before losing in the national quarterfinals.

No matter where he plays college basketball, Tiburcio left his mark at Antietam. And the people there left their mark on him.

"They definitely saved me," he said. "I'm going to be the man I am in five years because of them."

2021-22 Class 2A All-State Team

Player of the Year: Jake DiMichele, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Coach of the Year: Mike Rodriguez, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

First team

Jake DiMichele, 6-3, senior, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Jacob Beccles, 6-3, senior, Constitution

Elijah Harden, 6-0, senior, Kennedy Catholic

Jackson Juzang, 5-9, senior, Winchester Thurston

Kaden Claar, 6-1, senior, Portage

Ross Eyer, 6-4, junior, Muncy

Second team

Camden Hurst, 6-2, junior, Lancaster Mennonite

Lamar Glover, 5-10, senior, Constitution

Dawson Summers, 6-4, senior, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Jackson Byer, 5-11, senior, Conemaugh Township

Malik Lampkins-Rudolph, 6-2, senior, Kennedy Catholic

Riley Young, 6-5, senior, Line Mountain

Third team

Hector Tiburcio, 6-2, senior, Antietam

Isaiah Niemczyk, 6-4, senior, Canton

Owen Kosar, 6-1, senior, Shenandoah Valley

Blake Morningstar, 6-4, junior, Wyalusing Valley

Joey Macciocco, 6-1, junior, Old Forge

Isaac Clayton, 6-1, senior Rocky Grove